Essays
The Flaws in Dr. Kevorkian’s Suicide Assisting
Former physician Dr. Jack Kevorkian’s suicide assisting has recently been subject to controversy for its so-called protection of the human right to “die with dignity” (Longman). During his years as a physician, Dr. Kevorkian provided a method of causing quick deaths for people with terminal illness. Patients who were more afraid of feeling the prolonged pain caused by terminal illness than committing suicide used his method to die willfully and instantly. “The majority of the family members of [his patients] publicly expressed their [gratitude toward] him” perhaps because they could not tolerate seeing their beloved ones suffer to death (Nursewise). However, although Dr. Kevorkian may have provided his patients and their family with such benefits, I disagree with his actions of assisting terminally ill people’s suicides for several reasons.
The first reason why I oppose to Dr. Kevorkian’s suicide assisting is because his patients’ decisions to commit suicides may have been strongly influenced by temporary mental disorders. According to information from the Nursewise web site, “It was noted that on several occasions Dr. Kevorkian did not obtain physical consults [to confirm that the patient was mentally competent], did not have a 24 hour waiting period prior to implementing the assisted suicide, did not always counsel the patient” as it was required in the guidelines for new laws allowing euthanasia. Without given adequate consulting or time to contemplate on matters, some of Dr. Kevorkian’s patients may have been in mentally unstable conditions when they decided to commit suicides. A report made by the World Health Organization states that “[mental] disorders (particularly depression and substance abuse) are associated with more than 90% of all cases of suicide” (Befrienders). From this data, it is clear that the physicians who assist suicides must take extra care in comprehending the mental states of their patients; Dr. Kevorkian occasionally lacked the care.
Another reason why I disagree with Dr. Kevorkian’s suicide assisting is because his patients may have committed suicides due to financial problems caused by medical expenses. “It was noted that on several occasions Dr. Kevorkian… did not explore the possibility that the patient was escaping financial difficulty” (Nursewise). Therefore, Dr. Kevorkian’s patients may have been worried about the costs of their medical treatments and the burden it laid on their family budgets when they requested suicide assistance from him. It is stated in the Nursewise web site that “[one] of the strongest arguments against euthanasia is that it may be used against people on the lower end of the economic spectrum.” Patients from less wealthy households may choose to take the fast method of dying in order to curtail the medical expenses required in prolonged illness.
The most important reason why I oppose to Dr. Kevorkian’s suicide assisting is because it is difficult to make clear distinctions between assisted suicide and murder. In 1998, Dr. Kevorkian was convicted of second degree murder after “[giving] a man a lethal injection, rather than simply providing the man the means to kill himself, and [videotaping] the act for broadcast on national TV” (ABC news). His overtly performed suicide assisting may indicate that he had more interest in receiving public attention than in rendering good service to his patients. On the other hand, in another case of active assisted suicide which occurred in 1999, a Virginia nurse was not charged with murder even though she administered over 200mg of morphine to her 80-year-old comatose patient with the intent to end his life” (Nursewise). The primary reason why the nurse was not charged with murder was because “the laboratory determined her patient’s death was not a direct result of the morphine overdose” (Nursewise ), but perhaps the nurse’s goodwill to reduce the emotional suffering of the patient’s family members may have been considered as well. By contrasting the cases of Dr. Kevorkian and the nurse, it can be inferred that intentions are deeply questioned when distinguishing assisted suicides from murders. However, intentions are rather difficult to prove compared to substantial actions, so physicians who assist suicides like Dr. Kevorkian can easily get suspected of murder whether their intentions are benevolent are evil.
In short, although Dr. Kevorkian’s suicide assisting may have relieved his patients and their families of prolonged pain, I feel opposed to his actions mainly because his patients may have chosen to die under mentally disordered or financially difficult conditions and because the distinction between assisted suicide and murder is quite vague. As the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates stated in his famous oath, “I will not prescribe a deadly drug to please someone, nor give advice that may cause death” (Internet Encyclopedia), I believe physicians should seek to preserve the lives of patients instead of ending them. Therefore, physicians should not engage in suicide assisting as Dr. Kevorkian did, in order to avoid needless suspicions of murder and the vain suicides of patients who may lose their lives merely due to temporary mental disorders or financial difficulties.
2. Nursewise Inc. “Euthanasia.” 2002.
3. Befrienders International. “Suicide Statistics.” 1999-2000.
4. ABCNEWS Internet Ventures. “Jack Kevorkian.” 2001.
5. The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. "Euthanasia." 2001.
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